Proposed Alterations and Additions to the “Pioneer House” on Farm 145, The Oaks, Greyton. Heritage Report – March 2016 Prepared by Heritage Consultant, Anne-Marie Fick, circulated to Interested and Affected Parties and submitted to Heritage Western Cape Table of Contents 1) Executive Summary 2) Introduction and Case History 3) Location 4) Methodology 5) Historical and architectural development 6) Context 7) Significance and Grading 8) The Alterations and Additions Proposal 9) Legislative Requirements 10) Conclusions 11) Recommendations 12) References 13) Photographs 1-Executive Summary The Oaks farm lies in the Riviersonderend Valley, approximately 10km from Greyton. The farm werf contains a Pioneers house, Manor House, Stables, Wine Cellar, and mill which along with sections of werf walling enclose a big square shaped werf that is a beautiful tree filled space. The whole werf was recently restored following various HWC applications and approvals. The Pioneers House is the house relevant to this application. The farm’s history was well researched by Ms Dicey Du Toit for the previous applications, and this research revealed the connection with Genadendal’s mission station as well as some interesting and significant historic owners. The restoration was guided by these findings as well as by extensive on site research, including plaster stripping and analysis. The werf and its buildings were unofficially graded by HWC’s BELCom as Grade II – it was never formally gazetted. The new alterations and additions is a sensitive proposal with low impact. None of the proposed actions will be visible on the werf side, and the previously (HWC) approved design philosophy for the handling of new additions to historic buildings on this werf is employed. The use of existing openings for access, as well as aligning the new footprint on the existing external retaining walls behind the building, is mitigating factors. S.34 of the National Heritage Resources Act of 1999 applies since the building is older than 60 years. Because the site has not been graded formally by publication in the Government Gazette, S.27 does not apply. Due to the low impact and sensitive handling of the historic material and overall scale and form, it is recommended for approval. 2-Introduction and Case History The Oaks farm werf has undergone a number of restorative developments in recent years, including the following: • Restoration of the Manor house back to the Bayley era ‘Georgian’ style – this entailed removal of tin roof and clerestory walls, replacing it with a new thatch roof; replacing ‘Victorian’ and inappropriate modern openings with ‘Georgian’ door and window elements, and opening up the H-plan wings that were built up in subsequent years. • Restoration of the Pioneers house. • Restoration of the Cellar and Stables. The Pioneer’s house (which is the building that this application is concerned with) has been restored and renovated in recent years, following HWC approvals, in the following ways: • New finishes (timber and stucco plaster) was installed on existing concrete floors • Subsequent to plaster stripping research, walls were restored to their current position – modern internal division walls were removed. • All the windows (modern) were replaced with “Cape” style timber frame casement windows with external shutters as befitting the Pioneer period. New windows were placed either in new brickwork or in already disturbed (existing window) openings. • New internal doors installed throughout. New double barn doors were fitted to the old wagon house opening. This opening was also fitted with modern steel framed glass doors internally. • The existing original beams were retained and new ceiling/floorboards were installed, as well as new ‘latte’ and thatching in place of the corrugated sheeting. • No additions were made at that time. The following summary of Record of Decision (ROD) letters outline the HWC case history: (organized from most recent date; if the reader wants to follow it chronologically, start at the bottom) 2010.11.30 HWC ROD Approved proposals for the work on the Main House and the Pioneers house 2010.11.30 HWC ROD Site proposed as Grade II by BELCom Requested: Landscape plan; more detailed drawings of Stable building, Function room to retain the existing gable attic door and revision of gable wall fenestration 2009.12.11 HWC ROD Approval of the application for alterations and additions (no reference on ROD letter of drawing numbers or what the application was for.) 2009.04.24 HWC ROD Approved: schematic proposals for cellar and stables; plans for Pioneer house Supported: general approach, proposals for main house (incl external stair and fenestration) Not Approved: conversion of mill building to offices Requested: detailed resolution of the gables, doors between voorkamer and agterkamer and fireplaces, archaeological investigation of reservoirs and water channels; more detailed landscape plans. 2009.03.04 HWC ROD Belcom committee acknowledged receiving detailed motivation report and assessment of significance, and delayed their decision to the next meeting to allow the committee time to undertake detailed review of the information and plans supplied to them. 2009.01.29 HWC ROD Belcom requested a detailed motivation for the proposed alterations in terms of conservation principles, including the approach to the homestead, werf as a whole, and any future interventions on other buildings on the werf. 2008.08.22 HWC ROD Belcom requested a site visit. 2007.11.19 HWC ROD Approved application for removal of plaster for research purposes. This new application is for additions to the Pioneer house. The proposal is outlined and motivated in subsection 8 of this report, entitled ‘The Alterations and Additions Proposal.’ 3-Location Above Google image showing the location of The Oaks. The Oaks is located on the R406 between Riviersonderend and Greyton, approximately 10km outside of Greyton. 4-Methodology The following methods of research were used: - photographic study - review of available information on the site and proposal - review of available background information on the context - review of application history and recent development - desktop study of published materials and - web research 5-Historical and architectural development 5.1 History of the Farm George Schmidt (owner 1737-1739) a Moravian missionary, established the Genadendal mission station. He obtained permission from the VOC to do mission work among the Khoi people on the farm Hartebeeste Kraal (The Oaks). He kept a diary, wherein he recorded that the indigenous people taught him how to build with clay sods; how he built his cottage and a small school (stone building no longer in existence) with the help of his congregation. Schmidt established vegetable gardens and fruit orchards, and also attempted wheat farming, with which the Khoi helped with the building of threshing floors. Barend Gildenhuysen (“leenpagter” owner 1799-1841) was a successful farmer of “vetstert” sheep, cattle and wheat. Coenraad Nelson (owner 1800-1809) was a VOC official, and apparently (according to the historic records referenced by Dicey Du Toit) a ‘prominent Capetonian.’ His family was wealthy. His father was a ship doctor from Amsterdam. Nelson was one of the first horse breeders in the Overberg. Wilhelmus Hendricus Theunissen (“leenpagter” owner 1809-1822) was responsible for a large number of structures on the werf/ redevelopment of existing structures. Records show that he had 42 slaves on Hartebeeste Kraal in 1817, and it is probable that these people were housed all over the farm as there are many clay house ruins all over the farm. WH Theunissen’s son, JD Theunissen continued the mixed use farming. Thomas Butterworth Charles Bayley (owner 1844-1857) was one of the most influential persons to own the farm. He changed the name from “Hartebeeste Kraal” to “The Oaks.” The name is referenced from a horse race in England. Bayley was a horse racing/ thoroughbred fanatic. He both bred and raced his horses, and made the necessary changes to the werf to accommodate this hobby. He is widely credited as the initiator for the founding of the National Art Museum in Cape Town, through the donation of his artworks to the Fine Arts Association . Bayley was a British government official in Bengal and moved to the Cape in 1836. He was a wealthy and experimental farmer, who immersed himself in his farm. By applying some of his wealth to the farm, he was responsible for a great deal of architectural development on the farm. Bayley appointed Robert Smith (a landscaper from England) for the layout and maintenance of the ‘formal Georgian’ garden and the ‘park landscape/ English’ gardens on the werf. Bayley made a large contribution to farming in the Overberg area by importing new cattle and sheep breeds as well as new crops (such as the ‘vlokaartappel’), and by experimenting with new implements, and importing the latest technology of the time (including iron ploughs.) He also published books and articles about various farming techniques and topics and was well known as an educated farmer who served on many agricultural committees and unions. Michiel Jacob Van Breda (owner 1857-1868) commissioned the artist, Thomas Bowler, to do five paintings of The Oaks’ werf, one for each of his daughters. Prints of three of these were found and had been used as reference material in the study of the farm by Dicey Du Toit. Michiel Jacob’s father, Michiel van Breda, was the first owner of their family farm “Zoetendals Valleij” in the Overberg. The farm is still in the Van Breda family’s ownership today. The Van Bredas were also thoroughbred horse breeders. Van Breda produced wine in the cellar. The outbuildings on The Oaks were converted for sheep shearing and wool sorting uses. The first three generations of Van Bredas wrote the so called ‘Landbou Joernale’ (agricultural journals) wherein each, during his time of ownership of the farm Zoetendals Valleij, wrote about the farming activities in great detail.